Monday, October 22, 2018

Do Not Disturb – or – Another Reason to Love My Life

The other day I lamented about my spouse bringing home some groceries other than what I requested. Since that post started to get long, I decided to edit out some of what I wrote. This is both a defense of him and, of course, another expression of gratitude.

What
s not to like about a guy who tolerates my obsession with Palaye Royale (see below)?
 
A Boy and His Dog, Because I Can...
For starters, let me tell you he used to call me whenever a question arose regarding my shopping list. For years I counted on at least one telephone call whenever he went solo. This is no longer the case.

I think two reasons come into play.

The first is that my cheap Tracphone often jumps to voicemail before I have a chance to pick up a call, so there’s a time lag in communication. Also, he knows I hate interruptions when writing and subscribes to the (doubtless now frowned upon) old adage: Happy Wife, Happy Life.

There is an underlying tease between us that I’m no fun to be around when I’m grumpy. Who is? Ultimately, he wants me to live a life of peace and comfort. I feel the same toward him.

The bottom line is about respect in our relationship.

I have mentioned to him that it might be best he just not buy a product when in doubt, but I am not going to full-on berate him for taking chances. It’s rather appreciated when he steps up and makes a choice without a consult. Too many times we have gone back and forth on where to dine, for example, neither of us willing to make a decision.

So now I’m going to heat up a soggy, cheese filled soft pretzel stick and not complain. At least I won’t be hungry for a while.

Do you dread or enjoy grocery shopping?

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Friday, October 19, 2018

Relief, Regrets, and a Review

Sunrise Over Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA

Our trip to North Carolina’s Outer Banks was a joy, as always. We took longer than normal, so coming home felt better than ever. Besides relaxation, this translated to two solid weeks of an unusual diet and inadequate exercise.

The other day, I had to go to my primary care physician for prescription refills. While my doctor is pretty laid back, I anticipated unhappiness at the weight scale and dreaded going.

But here’s to the relief in my title – she didn’t weigh me. It seems I don’t look as bloated as I feel. And now I have the opportunity to get back to the gym on a regular basis. Breakfast so far today has consisted of a boiled egg. While we split just about every meal out on the road, it’s nice to go light and simple when I want.

Hurray for the incredible, edible egg!

But here’s where (minor) regret comes into play. The more I leave the house for activities like resistance training, the less I want to do things like grocery shop. And while my dear spouse has been super supportive, often going solo to the store, his purchases aren’t always what I expected.

As a result, my L-lysine supplements are twice the normal dose. While that’s not a big deal, they are tough to swallow and I could have waited a few days had I known the store was out of stock. It didn’t seem worth returning them, so I’m hanging in there.

And let me tell you, I sure haven’t suffered any canker sores!

But some of the food item replacements have been disappointing, like receiving gooey cheese filled pretzel sticks instead of plain soft pretzel nuggets. And when I request canned salmon, it’s because the skin and bones are the best part. He brought me the fish packaged in envelopes gleefully advertising the product to be skin and bone free. ~sigh~ I will say the guy stepped up and ate some of it when he prefers salmon as baked fillets.

Even better, he trusted my judgment and went with me to the theater on Tuesday. After first seeing a single trailer for the film I became obsessed with “Bad Times at the El Royale”.

I won’t give you any true spoilers, but know that it’s set in the nineteen-sixties. We love our period pieces around here. And the motel was sort of its own character. That is always fun.

All the actors gave stellar performances. Chris Hemsworth, however, stole every scene.

Kudos to the wardrobe department, also, as they kept Mr. Hemsworth bare-chested much as possible. My husband got a good laugh at my observation on the way home, by the way.


It was a joy to watch Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Cynthia Erivo (I would never have guessed in a million years that this talented singer is British!), Cailee Spaeny, Dakota Johnson, and Lewis Pullman play their parts. I learned beforehand that Bill Pullman’s son co-starred. Not knowing he had an acting child, I enjoyed picking him out by his physical features and subtle mannerisms.

And what a performance. Mr. Pullman’s character proved the biggest surprise.

The only detriment we found is the length. Other reviewers agreed, so at least I went into the theater forewarned. Believe me when I say I sipped that diet cola. Some scenes dragged on longer than necessary; I wasn’t bored for long.

If blood and violence are a turn-off, this film is not for you. I didn’t mind. None of it was gratuitous. In fact, I’m happy to report there were no sex scenes. The storytelling didn’t need that distraction.

I say well done, Drew Goddard, who wrote and directed the film. It wasn’t a huge surprise. I got a similar flavor from a very different but also wonderful flick he worked on with Joss Whedon, “Cabin in the Woods”.

Have you seen any good movies lately?

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Friday, October 12, 2018

The Case of the Collapsing Cantaloupe

The other day my partner brought home the fruit I requested, a melon, and cottage cheese upon which to eat it. Yesterday afternoon I prepared to serve myself this yummy treat.

But the cantaloupe looked lumpy. Odd.

Preparing to cut into its rind and see what was what, I found a small swarm of gnats taking wing. Ugh. I picked up the fruit to find fuzzy mold all over the bottom, a shameful and disappointing waste.
Remington Leith, Front Man of Palaye Royale
& How I Reacted to the State of My Fruit
What the heck?

A while later I solved the mystery. Also a little earlier in the week, my dear love pulled an ancient, near empty can of baked beans out of the refrigerator at my behest, only to leave it sitting on the counter. Last night I picked it up, dislodging the lid, and found the can was not rinsed clean for recycling as assumed.

It also had a fine coating of furry mildew. And there were more gnats. Those hungry little flyers must have transferred the mold from the beans to the fruit. No wonder almost every room of our home has been visited by those little pests. Maybe the next fruit we bring home should be from the freezer section.

What’s your favorite fruit?

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Monday, October 8, 2018

A Near Miss, Back in the Saddle, & a Revelation – Adventures of a Dirty Minded Matron

It’s official. My body feels better when I consistently lift weights and swim laps. Today I returned to the YMCA fitness room for the first time in weeks. My morning started with rattling lungs and use of my rescue inhaler, a creeping, increasing occurrence.

Photo Courtesy of Barricuaeddie
Then it dawned on me while resistance training – I think the regular deep breathing improved my asthmatic old lungs. Needless to say there are definitely more gym trips in this able body’s near future, God willing.

On the way there, though, I almost caused an accident. And it was all the fault of my libidinous brain. There was a trio of power line workers standing on the sidewalk on my way to the Y, one of them rather attractive.

I grinned at the oblivious male before returning my eyes to the road. Right in front of me another car had slowed to a near stop for a right hand turn.

Thank heaven quick reflexes saved us a rear end collision! To celebrate avoiding that mishap, I’m going to write another naughty tale.

Don’t you agree I should just enjoy my dirty mind?

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Saturday, October 6, 2018

Not Technically a ‘Rainbow Snippet’ Snippet (Borderline NSFW)


As mentioned in the title, this post is not exactly family friendly. And if you are ill at ease reading intimacy, please feel free to give the following a skip. It’s a little beyond suggestive. Instead, feel free to enjoy once again a boy in a dress during this past LA Fashion Week.

~grin~



Remington Leith of Palaye Royale
If you are hanging in there, let me first say I’m sorry that I did not participate in the Facebook group Rainbow Snippets the last several weekends, in part due to our long trip out of town. Today I am too busy trying to get back into (re)writing and catching up on laundry to do those talented authors justice (reading their snippets and commenting).

But in the process of working on “The Cat Who Ate the Canary” this afternoon I decided to take a minute and share something anyway.

The five sentence snippet is meant to illustrate the weakness of a character who breaks off relations with his morally ambiguous, manipulative ex-wife. I’ve struggled with the sentence/paragraph structure before. Today I think I may have gotten it better.

If you have a minute, please read the former and latter incarnations and tell me what you think. I appreciate constructive feedback. As for back story, Jackson is getting turned on by a stranger and wonders if he should have continued relations with his ex. Thank you, Lisa, for mentioning the confusion.

Before today:

Lighting a cigarette, Pamela announced her pregnancy by the fertile new husband lying in post coital infidelity. Jackson held his breath and his tongue that day. He walked out that motel room door with socks stuffed in his jacket pocket and became a devoted hermit at the ripe old age of twenty-seven.

He had not regretted the decision for one minute. Until tonight.

My revision:

Lying with her ex-husband in post coital infidelity, Pamela waved a lit cigarette announcing her pregnancy by the fertile new spouse. Jackson held his breath and his tongue, and walked through that motel room door with socks stuffed in his jacket pocket.

A devoted hermit at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, he had not regretted the decision for one minute. Until tonight.

~

In the first one, doesn’t it read like the new husband is lying with his wife in post coital infidelity? ~snicker~ I hope you’re having a lovely weekend!

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